How do i get an AA report done on a car?

Cyrus

If im looking at a s/h car and want an aa report done where do i go and what exactly will it tell me?

Automan

I rang up the AA about them checking out a car I was looking to buy, got a quote of 350 Euros I think this was last year, got a mate of mine who is a mechanic to check it out instead for 30 euros.
Also rang a Honda garage to see how much they would charge to do a full check and got a quote of 100Euros, much better than the AA.

unkel

Automan wrote:

Also rang a Honda garage to see how much they would charge to do a full check and got a quote of 100Euros

That's amazingly good value for money! Is that a standard service all Honda dealers provide to check out any second hand Honda?

BTW I had my current car checked out by an excellent BMW specialist (not a main dealer) before I bought it for €50, but then again that reflects more the relationship I have with that specialist rather than the time they spent checking it out...

Automan

I rang up the Honda dealer near Blanch Dublin and I was told that it would be about 1 hr to check over the car and that they charged 75 euros an hour ex vat, so nearly 100 euros for 1 hour of there time, but as I said this was nearly 1 year ago.
Not sure if it is the same for all honda dealers.

lomb

Cyrus wrote:

If im looking at a s/h car and want an aa report done where do i go and what exactly will it tell me?

they are useless, i had a bad experiamce with them, and frankly they are dishonest, avoid...

unkel

Automan wrote:

so nearly 100 euros for 1 hour of there time

But that includes use of their equipment, most importantly the reading out of the ECU using a laptop with Honda software. Good value imho

TempestSabre

lomb wrote:

they are useless, i had a bad experiamce with them, and frankly they are dishonest, avoid...

I guess it depends who you get. I had one done years ago and it was fine. Though I do reckon if you a good local guy that would be better. Hard to find a good local guy these days though.

What problems did you have with the AA Lomb?

lomb

well, mum crashed her car(only panel damage, bonnet fender etc, and it was repaired at a simi garage thru insurance. when it was done we went to collect it and there were hugh 1cm blotches and blisters in the paint, was a TERRIBLE job, ive never seen that bad a paint job b4. anyway he used non original parts also so the fit wasnt the best. he billed the insurers for oem parts.
anyway we rejected it, and the insurers said we needed an engineers report. got the AA, anyway i paid him 150+ irish pounds (about 5 years ago) and he told me verbally it was a terrible job. when the report came a week later, the report said it was all acceptable. incidentally i had it checked by another chopshop a friend of mine and he said it was also very very bad job especially since he had billed the insurers 5 grand.
anyway the long and the short of it was the AA were very dishonest, i think the guy 'knew' a few people in there cause he was in the towing business also. i think he may have been a aa subby, or the simi connection etc..
anyway i found them to be so dishonest, it beggered belief, and i will never take out an AA policy or have anything to do with them again...

TempestSabre

Thanks for sharing. Well thats always the worry, if a person "knows" someone and can go cowboy. I think I would have reported them to the AA themselves and then taken it to the media myself.

Gary ITR

Hey Cyrus there's no need to keep rubbing it in that you've bought a golf gti ok? I know you have one and I'm very jealous!! Are you happy now!!....:D

lomb

TempestSabre wrote:

Thanks for sharing. Well thats always the worry, if a person "knows" someone and can go cowboy. I think I would have reported them to the AA themselves and then taken it to the media myself.

well he 'had' the car, so there was no 'legal' proof possible. so going to the media was a waste of time. . in fact my mother crashed her car again earlier this year again(a different car), with pretty much worse panel damage. this time it was repaired thru belgard motors. apart from forgetting to paint the engine bay where the valance was damaged :eek: (the suspension turret was bent so needed panel beating-like i said worse damage)they did a job that can only be described as very good.
the difference between the two repairs was light and day. i suppose belgard have qc to uphold and have good equipment and investment. thats the differnce. ps i took it back and showed the guy the unpainted valance, and the guy was shocked. said his workers are cowboys:D just shows theres no personal touch there as sterile as a hospital:p ps i dont recommend belgard for anything because they have absolutely no time for anyone way way way too busy, i only used them because they are convenient etc.

Gary ITR

lomb with all the repairs to your mothers cars it'd probably work out cheaper th hire a chauffer!

lomb

True indeed!:o